276 Miscellaneous. hatching) the embryonic development is completed, and already a certain number of the young fry venture to escape from under the paternal eye. The male pursues the fugitives ; and a few jets of pulverized air shot in their direction soon bring them to reason and convey them again to the surface of the water. It is not until about ten days after their birth that the father begins to abandon them and leave them to wander at their own pleasure. Five hundred and twenty young Gouramis hatched in my esta-blishment in the month of July last, and, measuring at present from 3 to 6 centimetres in length, assure to us the definitive possession of this interesting and curious species of fish, which, among other advantages, possesses the faculty of spawning several times a year. — Comptes Rendus, Deo. 4, 1876, p. 1114. Zoology of the ' Challenger ' Expedition. Mr. Alexander Agassiz, in a letter to the editors of ' Silliman's Journal' (dated Edinburgh, Dec. 18), states that he has found the ma-terial a wonderful collection, and was deeply impressed by the great amount of it, coming as it mainly does from the depths with which we formerly associated the idea of a lifeless desert region. He also gives the following information respecting the publication of the results. " The Admiralty is to publish the results ; and the collec-tions are to be worked up by sundry specialists : — Allman the Hydro-zoa ; Busk the Polyzoa ; Dr. M'Intosh the AnneKds ; Thomson him-self the Crinoids and some of the Sponges, the balance of the latter by 0. Schmidt ; Hackel the Radiolaria; Moseley, of the ' Challenger,' the Polyps ; Murray, who was on the ' Challenger,' will work up the deep-sea bottoms and surface animals (Poraminifera, &c.) ; Giinther the Fishes. Some of the groups are not yet determined upon ; but the same persons who worked up the ' Porcupine' species will probably have charge of the 'Challenger' collection. Young Carpenter will work up the Comatulae ; Lyman will have the Ophi-urans ; and I shall bring over with me the Echini, and perhaps some other group of Echinoderms; so that the United States will have their fair share of the work." Rate of Groivth of Corals. A remarkable piece of coral, taken off the submarine cable near Port Darwin, is spoken of by the ' Cocktown Herald.' It is of the ordinary species, about five inches in height, six inches in diameter at the top, and about two inches at the base. It is perfectly formed ; and the base bears the distinct impression of the cable, and a few fibres of the coir rope used as a sheath for the telegraphic wire stiU adhering to it. As the cable has been laid only four years, it is evi-dent that this specimen must have grown to its present height in that time, which seems to prove that the growth of coral is much more rapid than has been supposed. — Silliman's American Journal, February 1877.
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